Red Panda Facts & Worksheets for Kids | Habitat, Diet, Behavior, Lifecycle (2024)

Red pandas are small mammals with round heads, short snouts, reddish-brown coats and fluffy tails with red and white markings. This species is classified into two, one native to the Himalayas and the other to China.

See the fact file below for more information on the red pandas, or you can download our 25-page Red Panda worksheet pack to utilize within the classroom or home environment.

Key Facts & Information

• Common Name: Red panda
• Scientific Name: Ailurus fulgens
• Type: Mammals
• Diet: Herbivores
• Average Lifespan in the wild: 8 years
• Average Size: Head to tail, about 40 inches
• Average Weight: 12 to 10 lbs
• Gestation Period: 145 days
• Habitat: High-altitude forests of Nepal, Myanmar and China
• Conservation Status: Endangered

Introducing the Red Panda

• Red pandas are recognizable because of their striking and adorable physical features.
• The red panda is slightly larger than a domestic cat, with a head-to-rump length of 20 – 25 in (51–63.5 cm).
• The tail adds an extra 11.0–19 in (28–48.5 cm) to its length.
• It has a bear-like body with thick russet-colored fur.
• Its belly and legs are black, its ears are white-lined, and it has a mostly white muzzle.
• The long, fluffy tail is colored with alternating red and white rings.
• Weight varies from 7 – 33 lb (3 – 15 kg).
• It is well adapted to climbing with its flexible joints and curved semi-retractile claws.
• It is a mammal and a herbivore.
• Red pandas were first described in 1825 by French zoologist Frederick Cuvier. He named it Ailurus fulgens, which means fire-colored cat. They are sometimes called lesser pandas, bear-cats, Himalayan raccoons, and firefoxes.
• Red pandas were actually cataloged before the famous giant panda.
• Due to physical similarities, red pandas were initially classified as members of the raccoon family.
• They were later classified as members of the Ursidae family, the same as bears.
• Currently, they are classified under the Ailuridae family, and they’re the only one of their kind.

Habitat and Diet

• The red pandas’ habitat is the high-altitude tropical mountain forests of Nepal, Myanmar, Bhutan, Nepal, India, and Central China.
• According to the National Zoo, the existence of bamboo is the most important element of their habitat because about 85- 95% of their diet is composed of bamboo shoots and bamboo leaf tips.
• The red panda grabs food with one of its front paws and either eats it sitting down or standing.
• A red panda will eat 2.2 – 4.5 lbs (1 – 2 kg) of bamboo per day, but only 24% is digested.
• Sometimes, however, they also consume fallen fruit, acorns, roots, insects, and eggs.

Reproduction and Young

• Red Pandas generally live solitary lives.
• Male red pandas are highly territorial, marking their territory using their strong scent.
• As the reproductive season begins, males and females interact more, and they rest, move and feed near each other.
• Mating takes place from January to March, with births occurring from May to August.
• Gestation lasts around 131 days, and prior to giving birth, the female will select a denning site, such as a log or stump hollow or rock crevice, and build a nest using material from nearby supplies such as twigs, bits of bark, grass, leaves, and moss.
• Litters consist of one to four cubs.
• Cubs are born fully furred but with sealed eyes and ears until three weeks of age.
• They are entirely dependent on their mother for the first three to four months when they first begin to leave the nest. However, they continue to nurse for their first five months.
• The bond between mother and offspring lasts until the next mating season the following year.
• Cubs are fully grown at around 12 months and reach sexual maturity at around 18 months.
• Red pandas live up to 10 years in the wild.
• Red pandas in captivity live up to 15 years.
• Red pandas communicate by producing different types of sounds like squeals, whistles, and twitters.
• Their main predators are snow leopards, clouded leopards, and wild dogs.

Behavioral Traits and Habits

• Red pandas are crepuscular animals, which means they are most active at dawn and dusk.
• They spend most of their time in trees, making them arboreal mammals.
• Like cats, they groom themselves by licking their front paws and using them to wipe their fur.
• They use their long tails to help them climb trees.
• Their long, sharp, and partly retractable claws enable them to climb the highest trees, which is useful in times of danger.
• Like giant pandas, red pandas have modified wrist bones, which help them grasp bamboo.
• They have strong jaws and wide teeth ideal for chewing bamboo shoots and leaves.
• When in danger, red pandas are like skunks and can secrete a strong odor from a gland located at the base of the tail.
• If the strong scent does not work, they can strike out using their claws while standing on their back feet.
• At night, they cover themselves with their furry tail to keep them warm.
• When temperatures drop significantly, red pandas can go dormant.

Threats and Conservation Status

• According to the IUCN, because the red panda population showed a 50% decline over the past two decades, they are considered endangered.
• Among the known reasons for the decline in their numbers is deforestation, reducing their feeding areas, and being hunted.
• In order to protect the only existing species of the Ailuridae family, there are 35 protected areas in China, 20 in India, 8 in Nepal and 5 in Bhutan.

Did You Know?

• The word “panda” came from the Nepalese term “ponya”, which means bamboo-eating animal.
• Red pandas’ fur/coloring provides good camouflage.
• With their thick, furry coats, red pandas can endure very cold weather.
• Red pandas are good swimmers.
• Other recognized subspecies of red pandas are Ailurus fulgens, or the Himalayan red panda, and Ailurus styani, or the Chinese red panda.

Red Panda Worksheets

This is a fantastic bundle that includes everything you need to know about red pandas across 25 in-depth pages. These are ready-to-use Red Panda worksheets that are perfect for teaching students about the red pandas which are small mammals with round heads, short snouts, reddish-brown coats and fluffy tails with red and white markings. This species is classified into two, one native to the Himalayas and the other to China.

Complete List Of Included Worksheets

• Red Panda Facts
• Red Panda 101
• Physical Appearance
• The Firefox
• Furry Mapping
• Let’s Connect!
• Word Search
• Fact or Bluff
• Red Panda World
• Two Red Pandas
• Code Name Endangered

Frequently Asked Questions

Do red pandas make good pets?

Red pandas cannot be kept as pets because they are an endangered species, and therefore it is illegal to own one.

How many red pandas are there in the wild?

In 2022 the number of red pandas in the wild was less than 10,000. Climate change and deforestation are impacting species across the globe. Fortunately, there are now specifically designated conservation areas for them to thrive.

How long do red pandas live?

The lifespan of red pandas in the wild is estimated at 8 – 10 years. In captivity, lifespan averages 9-13 years. However, there is a record of a male red panda from the Rotterdam Zoo who was 21 years and 7 months old at the time of his death.

Why are red pandas endangered?

Red Pandas are endangered for several reasons. In areas where they are not protected, they are often killed for their coats to make fur hats and clothes. Growing populations clear more and more areas to build houses, thereby destroying the red pandas’ food supply. Red pandas are also food for hungry predators like leopards and wild dogs.

Link/cite this page

If you reference any of the content on this page on your own website, please use the code below to cite this page as the original source.

Link will appear as - KidsKonnect, August 7, 2018